2015 WRX vs. FR-S/BRZ
 

Considering trading in my FR-S towards one of these (due to FR-S being nailed by a drunk driver.. Resulting in $13K of damage).

Any thoughts from the folks out there?.. Who are probably much more knowledgeable than I am haha

Previous cars were 1992 Celica, 2003 Camry, and 2013 FR-S.. So haven't owned a boosted car.


Also, I would be going from AT to MT..

My best advice would be to go test drive one for yourself if possible. It's kind of like the FR-S/BRZ experience. People could tell you their opinion about it all day, but you don't really know until you drive it! That being said, it may or may not be for you. You won't know until you go check it out. That's the fun part of car shopping. :thumbsup:

As far as owning a car with forced induction it's a wiser route to buy one that comes factory setup with it ESPECIALLY if it's your first one. I'd still highly recommend doing your homework and research on forced induction, but at least you know your car is setup properly out the factory for it.

Advice above is perfect. Did you want more power? I read something yesterday that said with aturbo its good to let the engine cool down at the end of a drive or the turbo will burn up oil because it gets so hot. So that might be something to consider in owning one. Warm up and cool down time.

Turbo timer :thumbsup:

Owned a BRZ and now a 15 WRX. Just some of my thoughts:
Pros for the BRZ:
- Even though both cars have the same ground clearance, the BRZ has a much lower feeling center of gravity. You sit low in the car and you really feel more connected to the road. The seats in the new WRX are higher. You get great visibility, but you lose the sports car feeling.
- Light and RWD. Don't get me wrong, I love AWD in the winter, but BRZ is a more fun car to drive if you enjoy sliding the rear end out from time to time. For me light and RWD is the perfect recipe for a sports car.
- Handling is better. Steering feel is better. I just felt more connected to the road and the car feels slightly more intuitive to drive than the WRX.

Pros for the WRX
- Power. The new WRX has a twin scroll turbo and a direct injection engine. Lots more torque down low than the BRZ and more linear response.
- AWD in the winter. If you put snow tires on these cars they are very confidence inspiring in inclimate weather. It also helps with launching the car.
- A backseat you can put real humans in.
- WRX has amazing resale value.

Make no mistake. The new WRX is a much better handling car than the previous gen WRX. Much stiffer chassis. Sharper steering. No bodyroll. I like the newer engine better and MPG's are very close to my BRZ.

It just comes down to if you are willing to give up the true sports car for the sporty sedan that has more power.

Drive one for sure. If you even can, they (new WRX) are hard to find and many people are waiting 2-3 months on average to get their car.

Not needed, just take it easy for the last minute or two of your drive.

I would if that happened to me.

Porsche Cayman GTS. New answer to everything.

I have not sat in the new one, but the older ones had quite a bit more seat/ride height and weight compared to a BRZ. Definitely more of a rally car feel than the low-slung sports car.

The WRX is a great compromise car if you live where it snows a lot and you want to be able to get around easily and still have a fun (i.e. not FWD) car. I would definitely consider owning one again someday.

Is your car totaled? If not I would offer this advice... This is a brand new WRX with a new motor. It's hard to even get one, let alone get a good deal on one. If I were you, I'd hang on for a year before you make a move because otherwise you'll over-pay for all of the first-year problems; plus if history is worth anything the car will get even better next year.

That is true. Between 2002 and 2003 the WRX gained...

a light around the keyhole.

I got a chance to sit in a dealer employee owned WRX. The interior felt like a much cheaper car than it actually is. The $4,000 difference between the two, and the BRZ has a MUCH better interior. That was the deciding factor between the two, for me. The Limited BRZ has an amazing interior; it feels like a car that costs double what it actually does.

Yeah and some other little stuff like improvements to the brakes and clutch and transmission. :iono:

You read something yesterday that was posted about aftermarket turbo kits, probably.

This isn't even needed. All modern turbocharged Subarus will pump coolant through the turbo through convection. No need to take it easy or let the car cool down because it's already doing just that.

http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/ran...ling-514111544

I checked out the 2015 WRX STI at the dealer showroom and the leather interior (hard plastics everywhere) still can't touch the BRZ Limited, especially if you have the stitched knee pads and frameless rear view mirror installed, not to mention you can up the game further with the Toyota Europe stitched armrest and JDM rear stitched piece in-between the rear seats.

Seems like the new Impreza interior is a ripoff of the Golf, down to the flat bottom steering wheel.

Selling all my aftermarket junk and trading in my FR-S for a 15 wrx sport tech. The interior space wins every time. I loved my FRS for what it was but if its your only car you have too compromise when doing anything except when you are charging the twisties

I went from a '13 FRS to a '15 Sti...

Going with the Sti all day er day.

Hey give some more feedback on the sti


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Will do ! Picking up my STI CWP limited this weekend , can't freakin wait .

I can echo Thill's comments...

I had two WRXs ('08 and '11 5-door, 5M) before I bought my '13 BRZ 6M. I thought I was crazy, given how rough the BRZs ride is and how little torque it has. It also sucked driving it in the winter, though that is mostly down to me trying to get by on the old snow tires I had on the WRXs...

I have been waiting for the new WRX to come out to see if it is the answer to my needs - torque and AWD but still with good steering. Well, I test drove both the WRX (AT unfortunately) and STI (6M) on Saturday. I took both cars on the same route and then drove it in my BRZ. Funny thing, the BRZ was way more fun. The ride and power of the WRX are excellent and the steering response on turn-in is waaay better than the old WRX's, but there is very little steering feel and the seats don't hold me in as well as the BRZ's, although again they are waaay better than the old ones. I just didn't feel as comfortable through the twisty sections so I couldn't go as fast as in the BRZ. Unfortunately, the STI didn't feel much better, even though the limits are higher again.

The other funny thing was the torque. The WRX and expecially the STI will obliterate the BRZ in a straight line and on acceleration out of corners as long as they are on boost. But the weedy little BRZ motor actually has a fair amount of torque at low RPM (below the dip) and there is no waiting. I found that makes the BRZ more capable when cruising at low RPM in traffic, unless you keep the WRX or STI above 2700-3000 RPM waiting for an opening, which just isn't they way I drive 95% of the time.

So, I think I will keep my BRZ and maybe get it a better stereo, better tires and a bit more torque. The Phantom ESC guys are getting about 35-40% more midrange torque, at which point the BRZ would have approximately the same torque to weight ratio as my '11 WRX. Good enough for me.

As most have said, test drive the '15 WRX and see if you like it. If it was a 5-door and had a bit better steering feel I would buy one for sure. As it is, I have fallen a bit more in love with the BRZ.

Yeah I already have a 2nd car for winter. My only compromise with the "fun" car is to have enough space for a weekend's worth of luggage. Since the weekend involves a woman... Well you guys know what I mean. I'm lucky I don't need an SRT Jeep. ;)

Appreciate the feedback Talus1.

Went in to buy a BRZ. Drove a WRX. Damn.
 

We have a TDI wagon for road trips and hauling stuff along with an old NA Miata for fair weather days. We've been looking for another fun car. The BRZ is a logical choice because it can handle DD as well as autocross days. We were ready to buy.

We went to a local dealer to check out colors and trim levels. We looked at a White Premium BRZ. We test drove a Dark Gray Limited BRZ. We liked the Limited more so it was down to color. They had both in stock.

The sales person came back out to where my wife and I were looking over the Gray Limited we had just driven. We related that we were minutes away from a final decision.

The rest of this I cannot explain.

I asked if they had a 2015 WRX in stock. They had just one left. I thought "why not take it for a short drive while we discuss and choose the BRZ color?"

We drove the same loop we had with the BRZ. Our discussion of which color for the BRZ trailed off as I dipped into the boost. The WRX felt surprisingly good but I said little. We pulled over at the same spot we had swapped drivers in the BRZ. My wife came around the back playfully mimicking the exhaust with a "blub, blub, blub." I asked her to rev it when she climbed in the driver's seat. The BRZ sounded good, but this sounded great.

She drove sedately for a bit but once she was comfortable, she pushed down the accelerator. Swoosh! And then there it was, a huge grin quickly formed across her mouth. I busted out laughing. She started laughing. We did the loop again.

When we returned to the dealership we pulled behind the gray BRZ and just in front of a white STI someone had just purchased. No one was around. We stood back looking at the three of them as we admitted to one another that we both liked the WRX much more than the BRZ. Our salesperson returned and we asked about WRX availability. The salesperson went back inside to find out.

My wife pointed at the STI and asked "why do you keep looking at that one?" I explained the differences in the STI versus the WRX ending with "some reviewers say if you can only afford a WRX, don't drive the STI because you'll want one."

She replied, "get one."


Reposted from Miata.net due to relevance.


We ended up with a base 2015 WRX. The handling characteristics are obviously different (AWD versus RWD, more mass, different seating position, much more power, some understeer instead of oversteer) but for me the WRX was a better performance car for my hard earned dollar.

I still dig the BRZ. One of us.

Ancient advice, modern turbos are oil and water cooled.

This was for turbo's that were ONLY oil cooled.

The 2015 wrx is an exceedingly better vehicle than the outgoing model. My buddy had a 13, and wants to get a 15, having driven both he said the 2015 is much more refined, way better chassis/suspension and it has very smooth power delivery very early on.

The STI has the same old engine, don't bother looking at it. It makes more power than the old one though (not sure what was changed, people will dig into that and figure it out later) Just look at cobb's dynos of the 2015 sti bone stock and tuned to see how much more power it makes with zero mods.

It is the same old engine, but because of that there is a large knowledg base for it. Imagine dropping a 2JZ into an FRS. Old engine but a newer and better chassis.

Get the STi if you can swing it, if not, the WRX is looking to be a damn fine machine.

That's not close to being the same thing

The Skyline GT-R had the RB26 from 1989-2002

Sometimes an engine just works and the chassis need be upgraded.

Between 08 and 09 it gained 41 HP and some torques too. Same model generation, just a year later.

It has a timing belt. I just really dislike that.

EveryDayDriver just posted this WRX/BRZ compare. The owner of the BRZ is @mokinbird87! :)

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkWyyY718AM"]Subaru WRX Review: better than the BRZ (FRS, GT86)? -- Everyday Driver - YouTube[/ame]

I chose the BRZ over the 2015 WRX. Test drove both. Liked the RWD and the looks of the BRZ (way way way) more. The BRZ felt much better, and I love the handling. Could use more power but I like that because it gives the buyer options of how to achieve that.

I wouldn't want the new sti. too expensive and it has the older motor. The FA-20 is the new direction.

the guys hair/face in the wrx angers me

for that reason I choose the BRZ lol :cheers:

They made points about the car's enjoyability depends on the type of drive you do and your geographic location.

If you're somewhere like me, where everywhere is flat and straight, and the closest windy road is 6hrs away.... you aren't going to enjoy the car much outside of an auto-x. That means your daily routine won't be pepped up by driving this car any.

The WRX has so much more practicality and power, that it's just better and being a liveable but still hoonable machine.

I wished I waited for the 2015 WRX to come out when I was in the market for the BRZ. At that time, I really needed a vehicle due to get from point A to B (yes, I could've gotten an old beater car but after driving my friend's FRS, I was hooked) and the BRZ was the only thing on the market that caught my eye. The BRZ serves me well, very well actually- great insurance rates, gas mileage, and practicality (in regards to it's coupe- segment). Only obvious things that I wished the BRZ has is more power (no shit right?) and some actual seats to fit humans in the back. Essentially, I just want two more doors and more power. With this said though, I have never felt boost before (this is also another reason why I want a WRX even more lol). Maybe in the future, I'll either trade or buy a WRX. If I do get a WRX, it won't be the standard model, it'll be the STi- go big or go home right?! Hopefully by that time, Subaru reintroduces the Hatch/ Wagon STi, after realizing that the majority of it's North American Sales for the WRX's are in the Hatch models. Also, hoping by that time that the STi's decade old EJ motor is replaced with the updated FA motor.

I have a buyer lined up to pay me 2000 over dealer trade in. Can't wait to get my 15 wrx can't wait to have a spacious interior and a usable trunk! Not to mention some power

the twins truck is very usable compared to alot of 2 door coupe models.

Obviously you dont play hockey...


The wrx is almost like the twins "truck"

Your right I don't. Tell me coupes that are in the same size class as the twins that have a "large truck" :)

Of course most people will prefer the roomier car with more torque. That's exactly what the majority appreciate in a daily driver. There's a reason why the bread and butter vehicles of the big manufacturers tend to be midsize sedans. Their 4-cylinders are tuned to have more low-end torque as well.

The 86 is a niche vehicle. It just has less universal appeal, period.

That said, I do love the way the new WRX looks. Grew on me quickly. Still, the BRZ was already a bit out of my budget - similarly equipped, the WRX would be ~$4k more.

I'm inclined to agree with you. The cars I'd consider in the same class are the MX-5, S2000, etc. They are convertibles, yes, but other small coupes are usually FWD and/or not as sporty.

Enjoy your lag. I can't stand it. And the extra weight and mass you have to push around, plus crappier mileage.


IF you only use the rear doors on rare occasion, think hard if you can get by with the fold down and rear seat space of the BRZ. If you only use the rear doors around 5% of the time, I would NOT take the penalty the WRX brings.


Hockey means jack unless you happen to be carrying your starting line with you. The BRZ will fit a mountain bike and support gear or 6 sets of track wheels and tires. C'mon, it's great for hauling cargo which is one major reason I even bought an FRS.


If you are a straightline power driver, you're asking the wrong question to the wrong people.